Valve-equipped containers



July 26, 1960 Filed Nov. 10, 1954 M. R. METZGER 2,946,502

VALVE-EQUIPPED CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

July 26, 1960 Filed Nov. 10, 1954 M. R. METZGER VALVE-EQUIPPEDCONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

" eidzhfdfjr Unite 2,946,502 Patented July 26, 1960" VALVE-EQUIPPEDCONTAINERS Melvin R. Metzger, 3359 Madison Road, Cincinnati 9, OhioFiled Nov. 10,1954, Ser. No. 467,977

3 Claims. (Cl. 2262.5)

The present invention relates generally to valveequipped containers.More particularly, the invention relates to that type of container whichis designed primarily for use in merchandising a commodity and as itscomponents or parts comprises: (1) a hollow body which is adapted tocontain the commodity, isformed of flexible, fluid impervious, film-typematerial, and is closed throughout except for a small sized opening inone portion thereof; and (2) a normally flat, tube-like check valvewhich is positioned against the opening-equipped portion of the body,embodies t-wo elongated, superposed, separately formed, coextensivemembers of comparatively thin, flexible, fluid impervious, film-typematerial, has the side margins of its members in opposed relation withone another and connected together, is provided in the mem ber thereofthat is nearer to the body with an opening in registering relation withthe opening in the one portion of the body, has the opening definingportion of the member that is nearer to the body in opposed relationwith, and connected to, the opening defining portion of the body, and isadapted when its members are spread apart to assume an open positionwherein communication is established between the interior-of the bodyand the ambient air and when its members are pressed together to assumea closed position wherein communication of Y the body interior and theambient air is cut off.

One object of the invention is to provide a valveequipped containerwhich isan improvement on, and has certain inherent advantages over,previously designed containers of the same general type including thatforming the subject matter of myco-pending patent application Serial No.463,713,v filed on October 21, 1954, now United States Patent No;2,821,338, dated January 28, 1958, and is characterized by the fact thatthe normally fiat tube-like check valve thereof is of simple and noveldesign, possesses high efliciency, and is capable of being produced orfabricated at a comparatively low cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valveequipped containerof the type under consideration in which the side margins of the membersof the check valve are connected together by coatings of rubber-resin,permanently tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive, and the opening definingportion of. the checkv valve member that is nearer to the body isconnected to the opening defining portion of the body by way of acoating of. similar adhesive. B'y connecting together the side marginsof the members ofthe check valve by coatings of-rubber-resin,permanently tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive, it. is possible toformthe two superposed check valve members of non-heat scalablefilm-type material, such for example, as cellophane. Byconnecting theopening defining portion of the check valve member that is nearer to thebody to the opening defining portion of the body by way of a. coating ofrubber-resin, permanently tacky, pressuresensitive adhesive, it ispossible to form the body of the container of non-heat scalablefilm-type material; and it is also possible when the check valve isdisposed exteriorly of the body in connection with a so-called vacuumpack of the commodity in the body to pull the check valve out ofconnected relation with the body when it is desired to break the vacuumin the body in connection with removal of the commodity from the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valveequipped containerof the type and character last men tioned in which one of the checkvalve members is provided on the surface thereof that faces the othermember with a coextensive coating of rubber-resin, permanently tacky,pressure sensitive adhesive, the side marginal portions of which coatingform the adhesive coatings for connecting together the side margins ofthe two check valve members and the central portion of which coating istreated with talc or like inert non-adhesive material in order to renderit non-adhesive to the end that it will not adhere to the centralportion of said other valve member and hence permits the centralportions of the two valve members to be spread apart or separated fromone another in connection with the opening of the check valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valveequippedcontainerwhich is generally of new and improved construction and effectively andefliciently fulfills its intended purpose.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages andcharacteristics of the present valve-equipped container will be apparentfrom the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which arehereinafter setforth and are moreparticularly defined by claims at theconclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and forma part. of this specification ordisclosure. and in which like numerals of referencedenote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective of avalve-equipped container embodying oneform of. the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged sections taken respectively on the lines2--2 and 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective View showing in separated relation thecomponents or parts of the checkv valve of. the container of Figures 1,2 and3;

Figure 5 is a perspective of a. valve-equipped container embodying amodified form of the invention;

Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged sections taken respectively on the lines 66and.7--7 of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing in separated relation thecomponents. or parts of the check valve ofthe container of Figures 5, 6and 7.

The container'which is shown in Figures 1 to 4,. inclusive, of thedrawings constitutes one form or embodiment of the invention. It isdesigned primarily foruse in merchandising a. commodity such as aperishable comestible and consists of. but two parts, namely, a hollowbody 9 and a check valve ill.

The body 9 is preferably formed of flexible, fluid inipervious, plastic?film, such, for example, as non-heat sea-lable cellophane and may be ofany desired shape-or configuration. As. shown in the drawings, the body9 consists of a. rectangular upper member 11 and a separately formedrectangular lower member 12". The two members are the same. in size andare arranged in superposed and registering relation. The four marginalportions of the upper body member 11 are arranged in face contact withthe subjacent four marginal portions of the lower body member 12 andare-suitably connected there to so that the body is sealed except forthe hereinafter described opening, It is contemplated" that infabricating the body 9; the upperand l'owerbody members will beconnected along only three of their marginal po rtions in order thatthere will be a marginal opening through which the commodity to bemerchandised may be inserted in the interior of the body. It is alsocontemplated that after the commodity is inserted into the body, thefourth marginal portions of the upper and lower body members will beconnected together in order to close the body and fully enclose thecommodity. The body 9 is closed throughout except for a small sizedopening 13 in the upper body member 11. Such opening is located in thecentral portion of the body member and 'is preferably circular.

The check valve 10 of the container of Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, islocated on top of the central portion of the upper member 11 of the body9 and consists of a pair of elongated superposed coextensive members 14and 15. The upper valve member is designated by the reference numeral 14and the lower valve member is designated by the reference numeral 15.The two valve members are comparatively thin, and are preferably foimedof non-heat sealable cellophane or any similar flexible, fluidimpervious, plastic film. It is contemplated that if the body 9 of thecontainer is formed of non-heat scalable cellophane or the outer surfaceof the body is formed of a coating of non-heat scalable cellophane, theupper and lower valve members 14 and 15 will, for cheapness ofconstruction, be formed also of non-heat scalable cellophane. The uppervalve member 14 is provided on its inner or bottom surface with acomplete or coextensive coating 16 of any standard or conventionalrubber-resin, permanently tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive. The sidemargins of the coating 16 are pressed firmly against the side margins ofthe lower valve member 15 in order adhesively to connect together theside margins of the two valve members. The central or intermediateportion 16' of the coating 16 is treated with talc or any similar inertnon-adhesive material in order to render it nonadhesive to the end thatit will not adhere to the central portion of the lower valve member 15and hence permits the central portions of the two valve members to bespread apart or separated from one another in connection with thehereinafter described opening of the check valve. In fabricating thecheck valve, the talc is applied to the central portion of the coating16 before the two valve members are placed in superposed relation. Afterplacing the valve members in such relation, the side margins of theupper valve member 14 are pressed firmly against the side margins of thelower valve member 15. This results in the side margins of the two valvemembers becoming adhesively connected together; The talc by which thecentral portion of the coating 16 is rendered non-adhesive is preferablyapplied so that it extends throughout the entire area of the centralportion of the coating i.e., to the end edges of the upper valve member14, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. By having the tale extendthroughout the entire area of the central portion of the coating, thecheck valve as a whole will have both ends thereof open to the ambientair when the two valve members are'spread apart or separated inconnection with opening of the valve 10. The lower member 15 of thecheck valve 10 rests on, and fits flatly against, the central portion ofthe top surface of the upper body member 11 and is provided in itscentral portion with a circular opening 17. The latter is preferably ofslightly greater diameter than the circular opening 13 in the centralportion of the upper member 11 of the body 9. It is in registeringrelation with the opening 13 and with the latter serves to establishcommunication between the interior of the check valve 10 and theinterior of the body 9. The bottom surface of the lower valve member 15is provided with a coextensive coating 18 of any standard orconventional rubber-resin, permanently tacky, pressure sensitiveadhesive. The coating 18 serves adhesively to connect the lower valvemember 15 to the subjacent portion of the upper body member 11.

The check valve 10 is adapted when its upper and lower members 14 and 15are separated or spread apart to assume an open position wherein itestablishes communication between the interior of the body and the airor atmosphere around the valve. It is also adapted when the centralportions of its members are pressed firmly together to assume a closedposition wherein it cuts oif communication between the interior of thebody and the ambient air. When a vacuum or subatmospheric pressure isformed in the interior of the container 9, the check valve 10automatically assumes its closed position and prevents outside orambient air from flowing into the body via the openings 17 and 13. Thecheck valve when positioned exteriorly of the body 9 lends itself to aso-called vacuum pack. In forming such a pack, the container after thecommodity has been inserted into the body 9 is placed in a vacuumchamber (not shown). When a vacuum is created in the chamber the checkvalve automatically assumes its aforementioned open position with theresult that the air within the interior of the body is evacuated. Afterthe desired vacuum is created within. the body of the container, thevacuum in the chamber is released. Upon release of such vacuum thepressure of the air surrounding the check valve causes the check valveautomatically to'assume its closed position wherein as previouslypointed out, the central portions of the upper and lower valve members14 and 15 are for all intents and purposes pressed to gether or insealed relation. When it is desired to release the vacuum in theinterior of the body, the check valve is either opened by insertingail-elongated spreading element between the central portions of theupper and lower members or it is pulled bodily away from the body 9 inorder to expose the small sized opening 13 in the central portion of theupper body member 11. As soon as the valve is opened or pulled away fromthe body, air is permitted to enter the interior of the container bodyvia the opening 13. In practice it has been found that it isadvantageous to use the container in connection with a so-called vacuumpack directly after it has been fabricated. The reason for this is thatthe tale by which the central portion 16' of the coating 16 ,is renderednon-adhesive remains only temporarily on the bottom surface of thecentral portion of the coating. After a substantial length of time,there is a marked tendency for the talc to migrate into the centralportion of the coating and thus leave certain portions of the bottomsurface of the central portion of the coating adhesive. The adhesiveareas which are left in connection with migration of the tale servefirmly to hold the central portions of the two valve members in theirsealed position and thus assure an air tight seal so far as the checkvalve as a whole is concerned.

The valve-equipped container of Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, effectivelyand efiici'ently fulfills its intended purpose and due to the simpledesign or construction of its check valve may be produced at acomparatively low cost. Because of the particular design of the checkvalve, the latter may be formed of strips of so-called Scotch tape.

The container which is shown in Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, of thedrawings constitutes another or modified form of the invention. Itserves the same purpose and operates in the same manner as the containerof Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, and consists of a hollow body 9a and acheck valve 10a.

The body 9a is the same as the body 9 of the container of Figures 1 to4, inclusive, and consists of a rectangular upper member 11a and arectangular lower member 12a. The two members are the same in size andare arranged in superposed and registering relation. They are formed ofcellophane or any other flexible, fluid impervious, non-heat scalable,plastic film and have.

the marginal portions thereof so suitably connected together that theyare in sealed relation. The body 9a is' closed' throughout except for asmall sized circular opening 13a in the central portion of its uppermember 11a.

The check valve a of the container of Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, islocated on top of the central portion of the upper member 11a of thebody 9a and comprises an elongated upper member 14a and an elongatedlower member 15a. It is similar to the check valve of the container ofFigures 1 to 4, inclusive, except that it comprises in addition to theupper and lower members a' comparatively small rectangular strip 19 andan elongated strip 20. The upper and lower valve members 14a and 15a areformed of comparatively thin cellophane or any other similar flexible,fluid impervious, non-heat sealable, plastic film. The upper valvemember 14a is rectangular and embodies on its inner or bottom surface acoextensive coating 16a of conventional rubber-resin, permanently tacky,pressure sensitive adhesive. The portion of the coating 16a that isbetween the side margins of the coating and extends between one end edgeof the upper valve member 14a and an imaginary transverse lin'ex whichis disposed an appreciable distance inwards of the other end edge of theupper valve member 14a is treated with talc or any other similar inertnon-adhesive material in order to render it non-adhesive. Asa result ofthe tale treatment of the coating 16a, such coating has an intermediatenon-adhesive zone x and a surrounding U-shaped adhesive zone consistingof spaced apart parallel side parts x and a comparatively wide crosspartx between certain ends of the side parts x The lower valve member 15::is the same in size as, and is in registering relation with the uppervalve member 1411 and has, in the end portion thereof that underlies thecentral portion of the crosspart x of the U-shaped adhesive zone of thecoating 16a a circular opening 17a. The latter is preferably of slightlygreater diameter than the circular opening 13a in the central portion-ofthe upper body member 1142. It is in registering relation with the.opening 13a and with the latter serves to establish communicationbetween the interior of the check valve 10a and the interior of the body9a. The side parts x of the U-shaped adhesive zone of the coating 16aare pressed firmly against the side margins of the lower valve member1541 in order adhesively to connect the side margins of the upper andlower valve members 140 and 15a. The outer end portion of the crosspartx of the U-shaped adhesive zone of the coating 16a is pressed firmlyagainst the subjacent end margin of the lower valve member 15:: in orderadhesively to connect certain of the end margins of the upper and lowervalve members 14a and 15a. The other end margins of the upper and lowervalve members are disconnected or free due to the non-adhesive nature ofthe outer end of the intermediate non-adhesive zone x of the coating16a.

The lower member 15a of the check valve 10a is provided on the bottomsurface thereof with a coextensive coating 18:: of standard orconventional rubber-resin, permanently tacky, pressure sensitiveadhesive. The portion of the coating 18a that surrounds the opening 17ain the lower valve member 15a is pressed firmly against the openingdefining portion of the upper body member 11a in order adhesively toconnect the check valve 10a to the upper member 11:: of the containerbody 9a. The check valve 10a is adapted when its members are separatedor spread apart to assume an open position wherein it establishescommunication between the interior of the body 9a and the air oratmosphere around the valve. It is also adapted when its members arepressed together to assume -a closed position wherein it cuts offcommunication between the interior of the body and the ambient air.

The rectangular strip 19 of the check valve 10a is dis posed between theupper and lower valve members 14a and 15a and is of such size and solocated that it extends completely across the circular opening 17a inthe lower valve member. It is of greater size than the said opening 17aand is'formed of anythin, flexible, fluid impervious, plastic film,such, for example, as-polyethylene, Saran or cellophane. The uppersurface-ofthe-strip19 is adhesively connected to the superjacentportionof' the crosspart x of the U-shapedadhesive zone of the coating16a'ofrubber-resin, permanentlyta'cky, pressure sensitive adhesive. Thestrip 19 functions as an auxiliary flap type valve; Whenthe check valve10a isin its open position the-strip'19 is slightly raised with respectto'the circular opening 17a in the lower valve member 1511 and when thecheck valve is in its aforementioned closed position the strip extendsfully and tightly across the opening 17a and forms a closure or sealtherefor.

The elongated strip 20015 the check valve 16ais formed of cellophane,polyethylene, Saran, Pliofi-lm or anyother flexible, fluid impervious,film-type material and underlies, and is adhesively connected to, allportions of the adhesive coating 13a" other than the portion that servesadhesively to connect the opening defining portion of the lower valvemember 15a to the opening defining portion of the upper member 11aof thecontainer body 9a; It is the same in width as the upper and lower valvemembers 14a and 15a and serves to separate what may be termed the tailend of the valve structure from the container body. By separating thetail end of the check valve from the container body, such endmay bereadily gripped in connection with pulling of the check valve away fromthe body when it is desired to break or release the vacuum in the body.

The valve-equipped container of Figures 5" to--8, inclusive, is capable:of being producedata comparatively low .cost and possessesextremely'highefliciencydue. tothe fact that the check valve thereof includes thestrip 19 which as previously mentioned serves as an auxiliary flap typevalve.

Whereas the two hereinbefore described containers have been illustratedas having" the check valves thereof disposed exteriorly of the bodies,it"is to be understood that the check valves may be disposed interiorlyof the corn tainer bodies. In such case, the check valves, when in theirclosed position due to the pressure of whatever fiuent material is inthe container bodies, serve toprevent egress of the material from thebodiesof'the containers. It is also-to be understood that the inventionis not to be restricted to the details set forth since these may bemodified within the scope of the appended'claims without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a container consisting ofa hollowbody-formed of fi'uidimpervious material and closed throughout exceptfor a small-sized opening in one portion thereof, and a normally flat,tube-like check vaive positioned flatly against said one portion of thebody, comprising two rectangular, superposed, separately formed,coextensive members of comparatively thin, flexible, fluid impervious,film-type material, arranged so that one of the members is directlyadjacent to said one portion of the body and the other member isseparated from the container body by the one member, provided in the onemember at a location midway be tween the side margins of the one memberand inwards of the two end edges of said one member with an opening inregistry with the opening in said one portion of the body, having on theinner surface of said other member a truly coextensive coating ofpermanently tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive, and having the sidemargins of said coating pressed against, and in adhesively connectedrelation with, the side margins of the outer surface of said one member;said coating of permanently tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive on theinner surface of said other member having a continuous portion thereofthat extends between the side margins of the coating and also extendsbetween the opening in said one member and one end edge of said othermember treated with inert, non-adhesive material so as to render itnon-adhesive and thus permit spreading apart of the portions of the twomembers that are in direct opposite relation with the continuous treatedportion of the aforesaid coating; said normally flat, tube-like checkvalve having on the surface of said one member that is directly adjacentto the body a truly coextensive coating of permanently tacky, pressuresensitive adhesive, having the portion of the last mentioned coatingthat extends around the opening in the one member in adhesively butreleasably connected relation with the opening defining portion of thebody, and being adapted when the portions of the two members that are indirect opposite relation with the continuous treated portion of thefirst mentioned coating are spread apart to assume an open positionwherein communication is established between the interior of the bodyand the ambient air and when said portions of its members are pressedtogether to assume a closed position wherein communication of the bodyinterior and said ambient air is cut off; each of the two aforesaidmembers of the check valve with its own coating of permanently tacky,pressure sensitive adhesive being formed originally of a strip ofconventional Scotch type tape.

2. A container according to claim 1 and in which the body is adapted tohave its interior vacuumized, the check valve is located exteriorly ofthe body, the opening in the one valve member is located adjacent to oneend portion of the permanently tacky, pressure sensitive adhesivecoating on the one valve member, and the check valve comprises,additionally, a separately formed, rectangular, imperforate, flexiblestrip which corresponds in shape and is adhesively connected to at leastthe other end portion of the coating of permanently tacky, pressuresensitive adhesive on the one member, and serves to prevent said otherend portion of the last mentioned coating from adhering to the adjacentportion of the body to the end that the check valve as a whole embodiesa free tail part which may be readily grasped in connection with pullingof the check valve out of connected relation with the body when it isdesired to release the vacuum in the body as a preliminary to openingthe body.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a container consisting of a hollowbody formed of fluid impervious material and closed throughout exceptfor a small-sized opening in one portion thereof, and a normally fiat,tubelike check valve positioned flatly against said one portion of thebody, comprising two rectangular, superposed, separately formed,coextensive members of comparatively thin, flexible, fluid impervious,film-type material, arranged so that one of the members is directlyadjacent to said one portion of the body and the other member isseparated from the container body by the one member, provided in the onemember at a location between the side margins of the one member andinwards of the two end edges of said one member with an opening inregistry with the opening in said one portion of 'the' said one member;said check valve also comprising a thin, imperforate strip of flexible,iluidimpervious, filmtype material and greater size than the opening inthe;

one member, positioned between the two members and so that it extendsfully across and outwards of said opening in the one member, having thesurface thereof that is adjacent to the other member connectedadhesively to the adjacent portion of the aforesaid coating on the innersurface of said other member, and forming an auxiliary flat-type valve;said coating of permanently tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive on saidother member having a continuous portion thereof that extends betweenthe side margins of the coating and also extends between and to an edgeportion of the auxiliary flap-typevalve and one end edge of said othermember treated with inert, nonadhesive material so as to render itnon-adhesive and thus permit spreading apart of the portions of the twomembers that are in direct opposite relation with the continuous treatedportion of said coating; said normally flat, tube-like check valvehaving on the surface of said one member that is directly adjacent tothe body a truly coextensive coating of permanently tacky, pressuresensi-r tive adhesive, having the portion of the last mentioned coatingthat extends around the opening in the one member in adhesively butreleasably connected relation with the opening defining portion of thebody, and being adapted when the aforesaid portions of said members thatare in direct opposite relation with the continuous treated portion ofthe first mentioned coating are spread apart to assume an open positionwherein the auxiliary flap-type valve is spaced from the opening in saidone member and results in establishment of communication between theinterior of the body and the ambient air and when the last mentionedportions of its members are pressed together to assume a closed positionwherein said auxiliary flap-type valve extends fully across and sealsthe opening in said one member and results in cut ofi' of communicationbetween the body interior and the ambient air; each of the two checkvalve members with its own coating of permanently tacky, pressuresensitive adhesive being formed originally of a strip of conventionalScotch type tape.

References (Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,536,341 Hodgson May 5, 1925 2,037,420 Lindgren Apr. 14, 1936 2,301,479Tousley Nov. 10, 1942 2,400,406 Godoy May 14, 1946 2 ,568,976 AndrewsSept. 25, 1,951

